Călărași () is a county (județ) of Romania on the border with Bulgaria, in Muntenia, with the county seat at Călărași.
Demographics
In 2011, it had a population of 285,050 and a population density of 56.02/km<sup>2</sup>.
- Romanians – 94.1%
- Romani – 5.7%
- Turks - 0.1%
- Unknown - 0.1%
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! County population
|-
! 1948
| 287,722
|-
! 1956
| 318,573
|-
! 1966
| 337,261
|-
! 1977
| 338,807
|-
! 1992
| 338,844
|-
! 2002
| 324,617
|-
! 2011
| 285,050
|-
! 2021
| 283,458
|}
List of cities by population
All the data, except Călărași, is as of 2002.
- Călărași (county's capital and largest city) – 58,211 (as of 2021)
- Oltenița – 27,217
- Modelu (county's largest village) – 9,804
- Budești (with Crivăț village) – 9,709
- Borcea (village) – 9,676
- Dragalina (village) – 8,760
- Chirnogi (village) – 8,131
The other two towns of Călărași county (Lehliu Gară and Fundulea) have a population under 8,000 inhabitants.
Geography
This county has an area of 5,088 km<sup>2</sup>.
The entire area lies in the southern part of the Bărăgan Plain and is crossed by small rivers with deep valleys. On its southern and eastern sides there is the valley of the Danube which, on the eastern side, splits into a number of branches, forming islands, now drained. On the western side, the rivers Argeș and Dâmbovița form a wide valley before flowing into the Danube.
Neighbours
- Constanța County to the East.
- Ilfov County and Giurgiu County to the West.
- Ialomița County to the North.
- Bulgaria to the South – Silistra Province
Economy
Agriculture is the county's main industry, generating about 3% of the entire country's agricultural output.
The county's industries:
- Metallurgy – there is a big metallurgical plant in Călărași, similar to the one in Galați
- Food processing
- Textiles
- Construction materials
Tourism
Tourism in the county is uncommon. There are only 3 hotels in Călărași County. [https://www.calarasi.ro/index.php/judetul-calarasi-meniu-stanga/turism]
The main tourist destinations:
- The town of Călărași;
- The town of Oltenița;
- Fishing on the Danube.
Politics
The Călărași County Council, elected at the 2024 local elections, consists of 31 councilors, with the following party composition:
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#ccc" |
! style="background:#ccc" | Party
! style="background:#ccc" | Seats
! style="background:#ccc" colspan="18" | Current County Council
|-
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| Social Democratic Party (PSD)
| style="text-align: right" | 18
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| National Liberal Party (PNL)
| style="text-align: right" | 9
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| Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR)
| style="text-align: right" | 4
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Administrative divisions
thumb|[[Călărași]]
thumb|[[Oltenița]]
Călărași County has 2 municipalities, 3 towns and 50 communes
- Municipalities
- Călărași – county seat; population: 65,181 (as of 2011)
- Oltenița
- Towns
- Budești
- Fundulea
- Lehliu-Gară
- Communes
- Alexandru Odobescu
- Belciugatele
- Borcea
- Căscioarele
- Chirnogi
- Chiselet
- Crivăț
- Ciocănești
- Curcani
- Cuza Vodă
- Dichiseni
- Dor Mărunt
- Dorobanțu
- Dragalina
- Dragoș Vodă
- Frăsinet
- Frumușani
- Fundeni
- Gălbinași
- Grădiștea
- Gurbănești
- Ileana
- Independența
- Jegălia
- Lehliu
- Luica
- Lupșanu
- Mânăstirea
- Mitreni
- Modelu
- Nana
- Nicolae Bălcescu
- Perișoru
- Plătărești
- Radovanu
- Roseți
- Sărulești
- Sohatu
- Spanțov
- Șoldanu
- Ștefan cel Mare
- Ștefan Vodă
- Tămădău Mare
- Ulmeni
- Ulmu
- Unirea
- Valea Argovei
- Vasilați
- Vâlcelele
- Vlad Țepeș